Revised 2021 More entries for "threshold"
thresholdnoun
Factsheet
What does the noun threshold mean?
There are 11 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun threshold, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
threshold has developed meanings and uses in subjects including
How common is the noun threshold?
About 20occurrences per million words in modern written English
| 1750 | 0.79 |
| 1760 | 0.84 |
| 1770 | 0.99 |
| 1780 | 1.6 |
| 1790 | 1.8 |
| 1800 | 2.2 |
| 1810 | 2.4 |
| 1820 | 3.7 |
| 1830 | 4.6 |
| 1840 | 4.9 |
| 1850 | 5.8 |
| 1860 | 6.1 |
| 1870 | 6.3 |
| 1880 | 6.7 |
| 1890 | 8.2 |
| 1900 | 7.9 |
| 1910 | 7.5 |
| 1920 | 7.6 |
| 1930 | 8.1 |
| 1940 | 9.0 |
| 1950 | 11 |
| 1960 | 14 |
| 1970 | 17 |
| 1980 | 20 |
| 1990 | 21 |
| 2000 | 22 |
| 2010 | 22 |
How is the noun threshold pronounced?
British English
/ˈθrɛʃ(h)əʊld/
THRESH-hohld
U.S. English
/ˈθrɛʃˌ(h)oʊld/
THRESH-hohld
Where does the noun threshold come from?
Earliest known use
Old English
The earliest known use of the noun threshold is in the Old English period (pre-1150).
threshold is a word inherited from Germanic.
Nearby entries
- thresher, n.¹1221–
- Thresher, n.²1806–
- thresher fish, n.1817–1906
- threshing, n.Old English–
- threshing, adj.1591–
- threshing floor, n.a1450–
- threshing machine, n.1735–
- threshing mill, n.1768–
- threshing sled, n.1876–
- threshing sledge, n.1792–
- threshold, n.Old English–
- threshold, v.1943–
- threshold effect, n.1911–
- threshold howl, n.1928–
- threst | thrast, n.1340–1400
- threst | thrast, v.a1225–1542
- thresting | thrasting, n.1481–83
- threte, n.1513
- threte, v.c1400–1513
- thribble, n.1829–
- thrice, adv.c1175–
Etymology
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Institutional access
Institutional account management
Meaning & use
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Institutional access
Institutional account management
Pronunciation
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Institutional access
Institutional account management
Forms
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Institutional access
Institutional account management
Frequency
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Institutional access
Institutional account management
Compounds & derived words
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Institutional access
Institutional account management
Entry history for threshold, n.
threshold, n. was revised in December 2021.
threshold, n. was last modified in March 2024.
oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:
- further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
- new senses, phrases, and quotations.
Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into threshold, n. in March 2024.
Earlier versions of this entry were published in:
OED First Edition (1912)
OED Second Edition (1989)
Cite
Chicago
Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “,” , .
Copied to clipboard
MLA9
“” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, , .
Copied to clipboard
Contribute
Citation details
Factsheet for threshold, n.
Browse entry
Nearby entries
- thresher, n.¹1221–
- Thresher, n.²1806–
- thresher fish, n.1817–1906
- threshing, n.Old English–
- threshing, adj.1591–
- threshing floor, n.a1450–
- threshing machine, n.1735–
- threshing mill, n.1768–
- threshing sled, n.1876–
- threshing sledge, n.1792–
- threshold, n.Old English–
- threshold, v.1943–
- threshold effect, n.1911–
- threshold howl, n.1928–
- threst | thrast, n.1340–1400
- threst | thrast, v.a1225–1542
- thresting | thrasting, n.1481–83
- threte, n.1513
- threte, v.c1400–1513
- thribble, n.1829–
- thrice, adv.c1175–
